24/5/66
From the enclosed print, dear Prof Gray, it is very doubtful, whether the consignment pr Patrick Henry ever reached you.1 If not, as I fear, I have still more cause to claim your indulgence for not sending you more contributions towards your collections. I will however not in all futurity remain in your debt.
I took the liberty to give to the honorable John O'Shanassy, who was twice here prime minister a letter of introduction to you. Will you have the friendliness to show this, our best, statesman some little attention when he comes to your city & arm him with a few introductions.
Accept my best thanks for several publications2 you kindly sent me.
Your regardful
Ferd. Mueller.
Dr. Kotschy writes me,3 that he kept acorns for four months in vitality by being packed in moist clay. It might be well at any occasion, when acorns through your generous kindness are again available to try this method of packing besides that of sending the acorns in canvass bags.
Patrick Henry cleared out of Melbourne, bound for New York, on 20 September 1865 (Argus, 21 September 1865, p. 4). According to an account by one of the passengers, published in the Argus, 22 May 1866, p. 5, that was probably the 'print' that M enclosed with his letter, the voyage was an extremely rough one, compounded by brutal behaviour by the captain towards his passengers.
Not identified.
Letter not found; but see M to T. Kotschy, 24 May 1866 (in this edition as 66-05-24a).
Please cite as “FVM-66-05-24,” in Correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller, edited by R.W. Home, Thomas A. Darragh, A.M. Lucas, Sara Maroske, D.M. Sinkora†, J.H. Voigt† and Monika Wells accessed on